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‘Single White Female’ With Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, and Mallory Rubin
June 8, 2026 · Single White Female (1992) · Drama · Thriller · 2:06:50
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Apex Mountain
Bill Simmons▶ 14:28Says Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance as Hedy in Single White Female is beyond acting and 'ruined her' for him in other roles, implying it's her apex/most iconic performance; also floats the hypothetical of Bridget Fonda playing Hedy instead but concludes it wouldn't have worked as well.
Craig Horlbeck▶ 17:39Says he had no prior knowledge of the film and agrees Bridget Fonda's polished, refined look contrasts with Jennifer Jason Leigh's more physical, unsettling performance, supporting the idea that Leigh's Hedy is the standout/apex performance.
Mallory Rubin▶ 13:14Discusses Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female; argues Fonda is perfectly cast as Ally (believable as effortlessly fashionable) while most conversation centers on Jennifer Jason Leigh's iconic, 'debauched' performance as Hedy, which she views as a career-defining/apex-level role.
Van Lathan▶ 14:56Agrees Jennifer Jason Leigh's Hedy is terrifying and iconic, praising the intensity and focus of the performance as career-peak level, while noting he'd have trouble buying Bridget Fonda in that role.
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill Simmons▶ 29:37Says the group already knows the 'answer' (implied to be discussed later/off-segment), but offers several alternate candidates himself: the roommate montage ('how is possible roommates check the place out'), the masturbation/fake-out scene with Buddy yelping, and other beats like Hedy buying the puppy and the family portrait.
Mallory Rubin▶ 29:50Highlights the roommate casting montage as incredible/rewatchable, praising its parody of stereotypes (contractor, hot girl, incest survivor, seemingly perfect woman), and also singles out the masturbation scene analysis as a favorite moment.
Van Lathan▶ 36:18Calls the chair sex scene great ('chair sex is a great scene... two beautiful bodies'), and also discusses the masturbation/Buddy yelping scene at length as a standout moment.
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill Simmons▶ 57:46It was the greatest orgasm of Sam's life — he had a great time and is 'miss-taking out his misplaced guilt on her' afterward; also estimates a plausible self-defense story could be spun for Hedy in court.
Mallory Rubin▶ 57:37There's no way Sam didn't know it wasn't Ally once the blowjob started given the differing body types/technique — 'you gotta know the technique is so different.'
Van Lathan▶ 53:36Sam clearly had a chance to opt out of the blowjob and didn't stop it — 'there's no question at all he rides this to the end,' and Hedy has an ironclad self-defense case in killing Sam since he rushed her.
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:09The apartment itself (from Big) wins the award as a scene-stealing location, praised for its dim, disorienting lighting and use as a character
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:06:42Discusses the absurdity and scale of the apartment (basement, vents, full apartment) and how the backstory is used to explain the character's implausible living situation, but doesn't name a single distinct scene
Van Lathan▶ 1:05:50The scene where he finally gets money in Big and fills the apartment with kid-like stuff, including the bunk beds
Is There a Better Title?
Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:37Says there is no better title - 'Single White Female' is one of the best titles of the 90s, perfectly conveys the movie and even entered the pop culture vernacular.
What's Aged the Best
Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:24His wife's genuine, repeated emotional reaction to the pet murder/injury moments (Buddy the dog) even after 20 rewatches
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:12:30The silhouette shot of Ally undressing in the foreground (all black) with Hedy visible behind her
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:10:00Several elements: the roommate-horror/erotic-thriller premise blend, the two lead performances, the specificity of Hedy's haircut/color, Ally's fashion, and the NYC setting/vibe as a place to reinvent yourself
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill Simmons▶ 1:28:11Single White Female would be a better movie if Hedy killed Ally and took over her identity in the last 10 minutes (Talented Mr. Ripley-style ending)
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:24:31Ally is a better roommate than Hedy, AND separately, Ally is 'too dumb to live' given how obvious Hedy's impersonation was
Casting What-Ifs
Van Lathan▶ 1:31:03Proposes recasting Bridget Fonda's lead role with Halle Berry (with the iconic Boomerang haircut), arguing it would add racial tension/complexity to the Single White Female premise; says Jennifer Jason Leigh's character wouldn't need to be recast.
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:44Explains reshot ending trivia (director spent $60k/day for two extra days on climax beat) and speculates the movie would've been better ending with the elevator fight/death rather than the vents/rat coda. Also shares trivia: the club was designed to look like a fetish club called 'the Vault' (hence red V), and Bridget Fonda briefly stands in for Jennifer Jason Leigh in the blowjob scene. Picks Bridget Fonda for 'Apex Mountain' 1992. Picks 'Ghost' for best NYC movie apartment. Picks John Wick for 'puppy murders Apex Mountain.'
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:37:04Finds the ending 'really weird,' confused by the photo/split intrigue; sees it as setting Ali up in Hetty's former position/trauma, tying to the unresolved question of whether Hetty meant to kill her twin. Notes the book's ending is very different, making adaptation changes hard to parse. On murder weapons, debates between the stiletto and the Basic Instinct ice pick, noting both are used in non-murder scenes first.
Van Lathan▶ 1:36:46Feels the movie didn't commit to Hetty's death, wanted a grander demise. On Jennifer Jason Leigh's career arc, notes her long, storied run from Fast Times to an Oscar nod for Hateful Eight. Adds trivia on the Ghost apartment (shard of glass) and riffs on Steven Weber/Tony Goldman-type actors who never broke through like Kevin Bacon. Cites the Joker's pencil trick (Dark Knight) as the obscure 'everyday object as murder weapon' pick.
Hanks or Cruise
Bill Simmons▶ 1:43:14Tom Cruise — For the Sam role, picks Cruise (fighting off the blowjob would be great), but says Hanks could play Graham, though notes it'd be a step down for Hanks (Bosom Buddies-era Hanks)
Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake
Bill Simmons▶ 1:51:41Points out that 'Single Black Female' starring Amber Riley and K. Michelle got a sequel
Is This Movie Better With
Bill Simmons▶ 1:52:39Poses the question of Wayne Jenkins vs. other utility players (Fergie the Florist, Zane Lowe, Robert Evans, Dr. Charles Nichols) but also throws out Mike Breen as his own pick
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:52:30Brings up Ali and a scene with gunshots and Stephen Tobolowsky, but doesn't clearly state a utility player preference
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:51:59Yes, Wayne Jenkins fits right in - there's a detective character (Detective Sergeant Kennedy) in the book, and the small cast needs police involvement to search for the character; jokes it could work as a scripted series
Best Double Feature
Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:16The Net + The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (finals of dumbest 90s movie characters)
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:57:37Fatal Attraction (paired with Hand That Rocks the Cradle/erotic thrillers, citing the bunny boiler and balcony scenes)
Van Lathan▶ 1:57:17The Hand That Rocks the Cradle + Single White Female (underrated date movie double feature)
Who Won the Movie
Bill Simmons▶ 1:58:21Leans toward Jennifer Jason Leigh being the best performance, but notes it's close and considers Bridget Fonda's career trajectory (combined with Singles) as part of the 'who won' calculus
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:58:47Agrees it's probably Jennifer Jason Lee, but personally says Bridget Fonda is more memorable/a 'visionary' to him
Movies Referenced (39)
The Thing (1982)
20 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan▶ 4:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Ghost (1990)
6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck, Van Lathan▶ 1:05:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Fatal Attraction (1987)
5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan▶ 1:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Directors Referenced (2)
Steven Spielberg
2 mentions · Craig Horlbeck, Van Lathan · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 1:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Actors Referenced (18)
Bridget Fonda
8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin · Known for A Simple Plan, Point of No Return, Single White Female▶ 5:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Sandra Bullock
6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan · Known for The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Speed▶ 9:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Larry Bird
3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Space Jam, Celtic Pride, Blue Chips▶ 1:44:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Eric Stoltz
2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Pulp Fiction, The Butterfly Effect▶ 6:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Peter Friedman
2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Single White Female▶ 1:11:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Andy Garcia
1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ocean's Eleven▶ 8:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Henry Fonda
1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for 12 Angry Men▶ 7:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Writers Referenced (1)
William Goldman
1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 1:21:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗